Improvement in beeech-loading fibe-aems



THRASHER & AIKEN.

Breech-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patented July 16, 1867.

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D. G. THRASHER AND B. F. AIKEN, QF FREETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Paient No. 66,913, dated July 16, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN BBEECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, D. O. TIIRASHER and B. F. AIKEN, of Freetown, in the county of Bristol, and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates to the class of guns known as breech-loaders, and to the manner in which access is bad to the barrel for the introduction of the cartridge, and it consists in sliding the barrel forward on a bar, which is attached to the breech-piece of the gun, and in the manner in which the barrels are fastened after being loaded, as will be hereinafter described.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal side view of the gun as it appears when loaded.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the gun, showing the barrel thrown forward to receive the cartridge.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

Our arr mgemcnt is adapted to either single or double-barrelled guns, and it may be applied to either with equal facility.

A represents the breech-piece; B is the guard; C is the barrel and D is the bar, upon which the tube slides, to which the barrel is attached. E is a sleeve or open tube, which is firmly attached to the barrel, and through which the bar passes. This tube is slotted on its under side, and a is a little wing, which is attached to the bar,'which acts as a guide for the tube and barrel in the slot as the barrel is moved back and forth. The back end of this slot in the tube is drawn over a. springca.tch, E, which is attached to the rod D, when the barrel is drawn back. This spring is operated by the thumb-piece and stud, seen at G. H is a pin, which is fast in the breech-piece, which enters the hole J, ;in the barrel when the barrel is drawn back. This pin is for the purpose of steadying the barrel and keeping it in place.

When the barrel is to be liberated and thrown forward to receive the cartridge, the thumb-piece G is pressed, which throws the spring-catch out of the slot in the tube, when the barrel is slipped forward the length of the slot, which is sufiicient'for the insertion of the cartridge. The empty cartridge-case may be withdrawn by a retractcr attached to the breech-piece.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The bar D, the tube' E, (with its slot,) and theguide-wing a, the spring-catch F, and the steady-pin H, in combination with the breech-piece and barrel of a. breech-loading gun, substantially as herein shown and described.

D. C. THRASHER,

B. F. AIKEN.

Witnesses:

S. P. RICHMOND, M. S. TERRY. 

